Now, a team of geneticists studying modern breeds of the animal has assembled an evolutionary picture of its storied past. Horses, the scientists conclude, were first domesticated 6000 years ago in the western part of the Eurasian Steppe, modern-day Ukraine Read more…
By the late 1910s, cities became inhospitable to the poor horse. Slippery asphalt was replacing dirt roads, neighborhoods began banning stables, and growers were opting for imported fertilizers instead of manure. As horses vanished, so did the numerous jobs that Read more…
But clear evidence of horse domestication doesn’t appear in the archaeological record until about 5,500 years ago. Horse remains from across Eurasia gave scientists several candidates for the first domestication event. How long have humans and horses been friends? There Read more…
Horses were revered in ancient Greece as symbols of wealth, power, and status. On stunning black- and red-figure vases, in sculpture, and in other media, Greek artists depicted the daily care of horses, chariot and horseback races, scenes of combat, Read more…
During the early Eocene there appeared the first ancestral horse, a hoofed, browsing mammal designated correctly as Eocene but more commonly called Eohippus, the “dawn horse.” Fossils of Eohippus, which have been found in both North America and Europe, show Read more…
Equus—the genus to which all modern equines, including horses, asses, and zebras, belong—evolved from Pliohippus some 4 million to 4.5 million years ago during the Pliocene. What were horses before they were horses? A Brief History of Horses By 55 Read more…
CRITTER. CRITTER: Often in speaking of cows or horses a cowboy calls them a “critter.” Other animals can also be critters. What are some cowboy terms? Western Slang to Know Above Board. Something that is honest and legitimate. Ace-High. This Read more…
Pliohippus. Equus—the genus to which all modern equines, including horses, asses, and zebras, belong—evolved from Pliohippus some 4 million to 4.5 million years ago during the Pliocene. What prehistoric animal Do horses come from? The evolution of the horse, a Read more…
Horses are considered symbols of the attainment of wealth and high rank. Historically, they’ve been seen as steady, trusted companions that have allowed humans to succeed in both agriculture and battle. In many ancient cultures, horses were gifted to emperors Read more…
Until an even earlier candidate is found, paleontologists agree that the ultimate ancestor of all modern horses was Eohippus, the “dawn horse,” a tiny (no more than 50 pounds), deer-like herbivore with four toes on its front feet and three Read more…